Learners' Own Words

Conflict can arise in just about any human interaction. Sometimes the causes are obvious, sometimes the conflict may seem to come from nothing. Responding to conflict is a skill we can all learn, and this is critical for youth workers in particular. How you understand, respond to, and de-escalate conflict really matters in achieving the best outcomes with young people.

Youth workers have rich relationships with young people that hold the power to transform their perceptions, to open choices and options for responding most effectively. There are skills and strategies to managing conflict effectively. In conflict situations, these are healthy protective factors that could even be a life-saving skill set.

In this training, you will develop a broader understanding of the causes of conflict. You’ll learn about the conflict cycle, the psychological elements that connect stressful events to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You’ll gain tools and strategies to respond to challenging behavior and difficult situations. And you’ll be better equipped to de-escalate potential crisis situations.

• Learn about precipitating factors and how they impact behaviors
• Recognize the importance of understanding and knowing your own triggers
• Learn the importance of understanding perception vs reality
• Be able to describe the dynamics of the Conflict Cycle
• Know how to leverage the importance of responding vs reacting

Each of YIPA’s trainings are designed around a broad framework of eight youth work competencies. The competency focus of this training is: BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION.

You'll adopt a mindset and perspective to understand the connection between emotions and behaviors, effectively model managing your own emotions as you teach youth to manage theirs, and diffuse dysregulated behavior and help youth re-regulate.